SAN DIEGO — The game between the Miami Marlins and San Diego at Petco Park was delayed for 28 minutes after a swarm of bees settled onto a microphone attached to the netting near the Padres‘ dugout.
With Padres rookie Josh Naylor about to bat with two outs in the third inning Sunday, players began scattering. Marlins catcher Jorge Alfaro headed to the dugout and plate umpire Gerry Davis moved back from the field.
Eventually all the players left the field. An exterminator in a beekeeping suit climbed a ladder and sprayed the bees. He then used a shop vacuum cleaner to remove the dead bees and the grounds crew tidied up the area.
The Padres’ official Twitter account had some fun during the delay:
We are in a (check notes) bee delay.
— San Diego Padres (@Padres) June 2, 2019
NOOOOOOOPE no no no pic.twitter.com/1Aw8g7Oblm
— San Diego Padres (@Padres) June 2, 2019
According to all known laws of aviation, there is no way a bee should be able to fly. Its wings are too small to get its fat little body off the ground.
The bee, of course, flies anyway, because bees don’t care what humans think is impossible. pic.twitter.com/qP9Kcdml3X
— San Diego Padres (@Padres) June 2, 2019
Naylor flied out to end the inning.
There was bee delay of 52 minutes on July 2, 2009, against the Houston Astros at the downtown ballpark, which opened in 2004.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.